Poised to respond to emerging DFV trends
Queensland’s only dedicated Domestic and Family Violence Research Centre, at CQUniversity, is looking ahead to how it responds to the DFV challenges facing families in our communities.
The Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research (QCDFVR) has been part of the state’s domestic and family violence response landscape for the past 20 years, and its new strategic plan provides a blueprint for working with the service system in research and education.
DFV is a lethal problem: on average, one woman is killed every 9 days by a current or former partner. (1)
Led from CQUniversity in Mackay, QCDFVR uniquely works collaboratively to strengthen practice, support communities, and better prevent and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence.
Emerging issues
Responding to DFV is a dynamic area as new forms of abuse appear. A recent paper from QCDFVR highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to intensify established patterns of coercive control, increasing risk for vulnerable families.
“Image-based abuse, or the non-consensual creation, distribution, alteration… (is) enabling perpetrators to produce realistic intimate images that can be used for blackmail, humiliation, or control,” author Dr Michael D’Rosario explains.
“This technological capability intersects directly with established domestic and family violence dynamics.
“And as AI-enabled systems become embedded in domestic environments, new opportunities for surveillance and intimidation arise.”
Five-year plan in partnership
Associate Professor Heather Lovatt is Director of the QCDFVR, and said the new plan builds on her team’s recent evaluations of DFV service system responses, with a view to informing and supporting evidence-based policy, programs and practice.
“We couldn’t do our work without frontline workers in a range of agencies. It’s the everyday people working in health services, housing agencies and a multitude of other organisations who complement the specialist services responding to DFV, who are at the heart of our plan.” Assoc Prof Lovatt said.
QCDFVR delivered education and training to more than 270 practitioners in 2025, and offers a wide range of online, face-to-face and hybrid programs – including free training modules for all Queenslanders.
“Our research informs our high-quality, comprehensive and practice-focused education to ensure Queensland has workforce capability now and into the future.”
QCDFVR is funded by the Queensland Government, learn more at the QCDFVR website.
